Five Underground Artiste Tips (unfinished)

So to prevent an over-abundance of 'loose' arguments I tacked on an unfinished to the title. I'm still underground, still hustling, mixtape "Recession Music" releasing this week (hopefully) and still massaging my album "Hitchhiker's Guide to Uwi" to perfection so I won't say that I have a doctorate on giving upcoming artistes advice on what to do. However, I'm very observant so peep the unordered list and let me know what you think.

1) Ignore the haters - People like to talk and hating on new artistes is a given. Even I'm guilty of not giving ppl a chance sometimes and I'm an artiste. No matter how good you are you're going to get it so you need to learn to have that healthy confidence in yourself. As ironic as it seems, people will actually like your music in direct proportion to how much you like your music.

2) Don't ignore the haters...completely - I know that I just said ignore the haters but as hard as it may be to swallow...some of them have a point. That freestyle you posted over Jayz's "Hard Knock Life" may actually not be better than the original. Use hate, even misdirected ones like: "Yuh should stop recording mih boy. Yuh is real sh*t" as a stepping stone to improve yourself. Personally, I go in front the computer and freestyle every time someone tells me I'm mess.

3) Practice - Practice constantly. Making it mainstream from underground is like making it into the premiership from first division: You have to be first in your league to advance. Yes you have songs better than what playing on the radio but your songs need to be better than everyone else who is trying to make it. It's true that it takes more than good songs to make it but having good songs is basic.

4) Understand the business - Success in the industry is not only about your musical output. You have to understand how to position yourself to be heard. This involves marketing, knowing important people, dealing with studios, taking advice, forming alliances, using collaborations effectively, networking, acquiring a good manager etc. I won't get into all of this stuff but basically a terrible artiste with good business sense will win over a good artiste with no business sense any day (ignoring lady luck of course). Discovering and understanding the market you are trying to appeal to also falls under this. Don't frustrate yourself with badman songs if you know girl songs is your thing. Just do you.

5) Plan for the future - If you do the right things then success will come so you have to plan for it. What will you do? What's the next step? You don't want to be caught pants down when an opportunity presents itself. Additionally, when that money start flowing you don't want to be caught broke and a 'has been' months later. This game doesn't offer pension so you need to make it work and make it last.

And daz it people. Look out for "Recession Music" soon and take in "Raining Shots" below. I gone. Face out.

Underground Trini Freestyles (The Graduatez)

Ah eh lying, this Saturday was like a full work day, no lie (yeah ah not lying). On top of recording most of my mixtape titled "Recession Music", I also did the fifth edition of Underground Trini Freestyles with a local hip hop group called "The Graduatez".

Luckily though, I enjoyed working with those guys. They have a nice vibe about them and the punchlines go hard fuh real. You can check out more of their stuff on myspace or under "Synod Entertainment" on facebook. Doh take my word for it though, check them in the video below. And look out for my mixtape "Recession Music" releasing next week. Face out.

Mixtape preview: Renegade

Yo Underground trinis, Face here.
I'm finally wrapping up the last track on my album and everything is going kinda according to plan. Hitchhiker's Guide to uwi WILL be ready and delivered within the first week of September with nuff big tracks on it. I'm an intellectual too so me eh know if everyone will get everything I'm putting out on dat cd but allyuh who does follow up this blog intelligent so me eh worried.

In the meantime, I'm bringing out a mixtape at the end of the month to tide over till my album releases. It's going be only $20 so de price recession-ready out de box. On this mixtape, I have a song to buss called "Renegade" featuring four trini dialect rappers keeping it real and trust me...it out of this world. I have a little preview there from my studio session Sunday gone so check it out nuh. Mind you, is a ruff draft and I more than likely might spit over my verse but dat will give you an idea bout what coming. Face out.

VMAX: All Day video

Yeah ppl, waz de scene. I dey just working hard and by the end of this month you should be able to catch the fruits of my labour in the form of a $20 mixtape leading up to the album "Hitchhiker's Guide to Uwi" in September this year. Till then you can vibes my current single Raining Shots.

Anyways, mih brethren Vmax just release the video for his current single "All Day" so I want you all to check it out please. For those who tuned in, he was pon Synergy Monday night and did his ting in bringing Trini rap to the forefront. You can also check him on facebook too so doh stick. Face out.

Trini Videos on youtube pt 10

Yeah ppl doh frighten, it's been a minute since I posted but I've been working on the album and now I've finally finished recording all the songs. I'm just polishing stuff up now so it go shine like the light from a million diamonds when I release...done know.

In the meantime you can look out for a mixtape from me dropping in early June that should tide y'all over till the album launch in September. Till then check these vids. Face out.

New Trinidad rap single: Street Bang'r

Whaddup folks. I know you know about the articles, different features and Underground Trini Freestyles from de site but I'm also going to be bussing a lot of music and videos from underground artistes as well. And what better way to start than with a song that is one of the biggest rap releases I've heard in a while. The song I'm talking about is "Street Bang'r" by Trakslasha featuring KVA.

If you doh know, KVA or Kayotic Verbal Automatics is a rap group comprised of three members that have been holding it down for a while. Over an insane beat by Slasha, they proceed to murder shit with sick metaphors and some very tight delivery. The song is the first single from the album "The Eyes of Many" due to be released 21/06/09 so you can check that out. What more can I say? Enjoy. Face out.

Underground Trini Freestyles (Frost Blaze)

Yeah ppl, what it is? If you doh know I can tell you though. Is Underground Trini Freestyles back up in it with a big artiste called Frost Blaze who totally destroyed the beat as the footage shows. Frost Blaze is a member of the Synod Entertainment clan (Click here for facebook page) and right now they're doing big tings, essentially sharing my goal which is to come from behind and take over the music game...in Trinidad...jed. lol

Anyways, just scroll down and check out the video nuh. Join the Synod Entertainment page on Facebook to get more updates on Frost Blaze and look out for the single Raining Shots from me on radio as well. Face out.